Three Pillars and Arch-patriarchs of the Popish Synagogues, Treatise 1 · Book 3 · Part 14
The fourteenth Chapter, proceedeth in the proofe of the same, by the Scriptures and doctors.Hesk.
His first proofe shalbe,Fulke. that the sixt Chapter of Iohn is to be taken of the blessed sacrament, and this is proued in his second booke: where also I hauehave aunswered, how it is taken, and in what respecte it perteineth to the sacrament: namely, as the sacrament is a seale of the doctrine conteined in that Chapter. To this proofe he addeth the consent of the church vntil Luther, in so much that when the heresie of the Communion vnderunder both kindes wa… raised in Bohemia, they grounded it vponupon that Chapter. Note by the way, that the Communion vnderunder both kinds instituted by Christ, and practised in the Church a thousand yeares after Christ, is called of Maister Heskins an heresie. The third proofe is, that Iohn spake nothing of the institution of the sacrament, bicause hee spake of it most plentifully in this Chapter by Augustines iudgement. Ioannes &c. Iohn saide nothing in this place of the body and bloud of our Lord, but plainely in an other place he testifieth, that our Lord spake of them most plentifully. Here he will hauehave vsus note, that Augustine calleth it not a signe or figure, but plainly the body and bloud of Christ, therefore it is not a figure or signe. By ye same reason he may say, Augustine calleth it not a sacrament, therefore it is no sacrament. But Christ him selfe saith: Not as your fathers did eate Manna in the wildernesse and are dead. He that eateth this bread shall liue for euer. In which wordes M. Heskins noteth two thinges: The first, that Manna is a figure of Christe in the sacrament, for proofe of which he sendeth vsus backe to the 4.5.6.7.8.9. & 10. Chapters of this booke: The second is the excellencie of the body of Christ in the sacrament, aboue Manna, the eaters whereof are dead: but the eaters of the body of Christe in the sacrament shall liue for euer. M. Heskins saith he wot not what, for if you aske him whether all they that eat the body of Christ in the sacrament shall liue eternally, he will say no. For wicked men (as he saith) eate it, which shall not liue eternally. Againe, if you aske him, whether al they that did eat Manna are dead, he will say no. For though they be dead in body, yet bicause many did eate Christ spiritually by faith, they shall liue for euer. You see what pith is in his reason, and substance in his doctrine. But in very deede, Christe compareth his flesh with Manna, as it was a corporall foode only, and so all that did eate it are dead: but all they that eat the flesh of Christe, which is eternall life, shall liue eternally; for though they dye corporally, yet will be raise them vp in the last day.
And whereas Maister Heskins voucheth S. Augustine to warrant, De vtilita, poenit. Manna de coelo &c. I must send the reader to the eight Chapter of this booke, where that authoritie is cited and answered, to be flat contrarie to M. Heskins. Likewise, the sentence of Cyprian de Coen. Dom. Coena disposita &c. is handled in the first booke, Chapter 17. and the other beginning Significata in Lib. 1. Cap. 39. The saying of Ambrose Lib. 4. de sacra. Cap. 5. is also against Maister Heskins, as we shall plainely see. Ipse Dominus &c. The Lorde Iesus him selfe testifieth vntounto vsus, that wee receiue his body and bloud, ought we to doubt of his fidelitie and testification? Nowe returne with me to my proposition. It was truely a great and a venerable thing, that he rayned Manna to the Iewes from heauen. But vnderstand which is the greater, Manna from heauen, or the body of Christe? The body of Christe truely, who is the maker of heauen. Further, he that hath eaten Manna hath dyed, but he that shall eate this body, it shall be made to him remission of sinnes, and he shall not dye for euer. By the effectes of the sacrament, which are remissiō of sinnes & eternal life, M. Hes. saith, ye excellencie thereof is proued aboue Manna. I answere, Ambrose folowing our sauiour Christ, doth not compare Manna the sacrament with our sacrament, but Manna the corporall foode, with the body of Christ the heauenly substance of our sacrament, & so it is more excellent without comparison.
But Maister Heskins skippeth ouer with a drye foote, that Ambrose saith, Whosoeuer shall eate of this body, it shall be made to him remission of sinnes, and he shall not not die for euer, by which words it is euident, that no wicked man eateth this body, but they only which eat it spiritually by faith. An other place of Ambrose hee citeth: De myster initiand. Cap. 9. Considera nunc &c. Consider nowe whether is better, the bread of Angels, or the flesh of Christ, which truly is the body of life. That Manna was from heauen, this aboue heauen: that of heauen, this of the Lorde of heauens: that subiect to corruption, if it were kept vntill the next day, this farre from all corruption, which who so euer shall taste religiously, he can feele no corruption. The water did satisfie them for an houre, the bloud doth wash thee for euer. The Iewe drank and thirsteth, when thou hast dr…nke thou canst not thirst. And that was in a shaddowe: this in the trueth. And after a fewe wordes he saith. Thou hast knowne better thinges, for light is better then a shaddowe, the trueth then a figure, the body of the Authour then Manna from heauen. This place of Ambrose vtterly denieth the body of Christ to be receiued of the wicked which perish, and so consequently denyeth it to be corporally present. But least we should obiect that Ambrose speaketh not of the sacrament, he addeth a long discourse following immediatly. Forte dica… &c. which bicause it is contained in the 51. Chapter of the second booke, I will send the reader thither, where he shall see it aunswered by Ambrose him selfe, and in the same place, and in the tenth Chapter of the second booke, where some part of it is touched. For it were in vaine to trouble the reader with one thing so often as M. Heskins listeth to repeat it.